SAD/ feeling low in winter support thread

[LadyCatStark]

Hi all, after reading some unhelpful comments on another thread where someone is struggling, I wondered if anyone would like to join me in a SAD support thread for anyone who is feeling low now that winter is coming, whether you have a SAD diagnosis or not.

Disclaimer: I know anyone can post anything they like on a public forum but please, out of respect for those of us who are really struggling, don’t come on this thread to tell us how much you love winter, hygge, snuggling, hot chocolate or twinkly lights or tell us that we’ll feel better if only we change our mindset.

Please feel free to share your feelings, good or bad, tell us about your day or share tips for things that help (or don’t). Hopefully we can all help each other get through this winter!

@LadyCatStark thank you. I will.

That's awful to hear other PPS have had a rough time with floods and no electricity and eugh that's just awful.

I don't even know what the weather is like outside today. I start work at 2 so am going to take my vits and have a herbal tea in bed. Have woken with a minor headache.

Another thing I hate about winter is central heating. My throat and nose are constantly dry and scratchy from it at home and I wake up headachy and congested.

@Mufflette let's petition for it to be a symptom I would love discounts on knitwear

@Mufflette

I wonder if we can get knitwear shopping declared an official symptom of SAD and qualify for some type of discount...? Cardigans for me this year!

It's the greyest if grey wet mornings here and I'm craving my SAD lamp. Starting to get the brain blankness this week for the first time, does anyone else gets that when it feels like there's a massive time lag between someone saying something and your brain processing it? It's one of the most frustrating bits of SAD for me.

Hear hear!

My winter spending spree is continuing - I’ve just bought 12 pairs of chunky wool socks on eBay for £7.99 plus postage. I have a feeling I’ve just been sold a pup, but I paid by PayPal so will get a refund if they turn out to be not quite what I’m expecting! I am so flipping cold ☹️

It's freezing. I'm going to have to change for work under the duvet today. Have eaten some chocolate in bed

Yesterday I made the mistake of going to work without head protection on. Today I might wear my knitted headband.

Can't believe it's actually October already.

Yay I finally managed to get a break in the rain to go for a run! I feel so much better now! It was windy as hell but it was worth going.

That’s great - glad you managed to get out! I’m currently hugging to radiator and eating a chewy cinnamon and raisin cookie - with a big of dollop of shame at my lack of exercise

I’m so cold I had to get a hot water bottle in bed last night.

It’s seriously crap isn’t it?? It’s another day of rain here and no prospect of running. I’m surprised it’s not flooded the amount of rain we have had!

Glad you got out even for a little bit!

I'm so pissed off today. One of my jobs decided that because I put in holidays that they weren't going to pay me furlough last month, then I was told everyone was having this issue and it would be fixed the coming month (2 days ago) still nothing. Now they are trying to make out I'm a liar when they owe me £400. To top it off my fucking bastard cats have once again ripped down my curtains and curtain rail and broke it. We have huge huge bay windows and without curtains the living room is absolutely drafty and so so cold so I have just had to pay £80 for a big enough curtain pole and have to wait all day for it to be delivered. Thankfully my dad is going to bring a drill tonight and put it up. Hoping it's before 5 when dp finishes work and brings DSS home.

Oh no @ShaneTheThird - that’s seriously crap I hope you get it sorted soon. Expenses always seem to come when you least need them.

I’m at the shops today - have just bought myself a heated throw, I’m ridiculously excited! DH has wandered off somewhere so I’m sitting waiting for him to show up with random stuff he doesn’t need but was a ‘bargain’.

Truly pants day. Ooh electric throw sounds amazing. My grandmother has one and apparently it's brilliant!

I got my cashmere wrist warmers they are so soft!

I’m sitting under the blanket in the conservatory which isn’t the warmest during Autumn and winter and it is amazing - I think it will be well worth the money.

That’s great your wrist warmers arrived Really good for £12 I thought

Not blanket - heated throw

Oh that's amazing! Where did you get yours from? I've heard they are really cost effective as well.

I got this one from Argos www.argos.co.uk/product/7074572?clickPR=plp:1:8

I’d heard that about cost too, so I’m hoping it’s true. I’m trying to keep the hearing to a minimum until it gets really cold, esp with the price hikes on the way.

Oh no @ShaneTheThird you’re not having a good time of it at the moment.

Oh that's fab! I'm looking at weighted blankets as well for my bed.

No today was shit think I've pissed off the gods. The curtain disaster, then I trapped my thumb in my air dryer and it kills hours later, then I went to buy milk for my dad's tea and got a can of fizzy pop and the ring pull snapped off so I can't get into it

Hopefully tomorrow at work will be a better day. On the plus side DSS just came in soaked from the rain so I put him in PJ's and a new snuggly dressing gown and he gave me a massive hug and wouldnt let go.

Not RTFT but I’ve found a high dose of vitamin D has helped lift my mood.

Also exercise - investing in a turbo trainer (indoor bike) and Zwift (virtual cycling app) helped me through last winter.

I try to see the positives in all seasons, but on days like today when it has rained all day and it’s felt cold inside my house for the first time this autumn I’m sad to be leaving summer behind & already looking forward to next spring.

It’s the dark nights that bother me more than the cold TBH.

to anyone struggling

@Availableforbaking I think I need to buy some sort of indoor exercise device as we’re now on day 7 of almost constant rain and exercise is the most important thing for my mental health. I’d like a treadmill but they’re so expensive for a decent one!

The weather has been awful here too but I need to push myself to get out today. DH was out for a drink last night and woke me up at 5am snoring (he was in before that and it's not a LTB situation) so I've been up since then staring at a screen. I had an early night so I'm not too tired, I just don't want to fritter the day away.

I'm going to see if DD15 wants to get a Starbucks and have a drive to the beach nearby for a walk. She'll have the former for sure, not so sure about doing the latter.

Coffee and a walk sounds heavenly. I'm on my way to work, I only put a thin t-shirt and jumper on so I'm cold but my new wrist warmers are great so far. Just seen 3 magpies for the first time in ages so hoping for good luck.

Morning everyone I have blue skies to my right and grey rain clouds to my left that are moving over sadly. I’m nice snd warm in the car, but the downside is that I have 2 hours to go before DC3 finishes his football match! I’ve got a coffee and my lovely warm boots and coat so will venture out and watch him once the game starts. There’s a van selling bacon rolls and other unhealthy delights but I’m trying to resist.

I do exercise videos on YouTube - that way I can vary them and decide if I’m feeling fit and motivated (longer one) or not (shorter one)

I hope you get your walk along the beach @Ulysses - nothing better for blowing away the cobwebs

I am out for a walk today and a catch up with my mum. I have scoured my cupboards for abandoned vitamins.

I have vit d, magnesium and b6, and lysine (I'm vegan and it's hard to get enough lysine which leads to cold sores and generally rubbish skin in my mouth). So I've started with those. What else?

Thank you for this thread- I really need the encouragement.

In terms of exercise I do Team Body Project. They have around 50 free videos on you tube and over 600 for members. Again their pep talks are so good.

Team Body Project is brilliant! Very accessible and features a wide range of fitness levels and abilities.
If anyone is looking for a quick fun 15 minute workout then this is really good - Rocky Strong 15 minute walk